


Shattered

by ainamclane



Series: Little Black Dress RT Challenge [19]
Category: Common Law
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, M/M, Sentinel/Guide Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 08:12:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6975013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ainamclane/pseuds/ainamclane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>the second Wes had pointed his gun at Travis, their bond had shattered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shattered

The shattering of their bond was like nothing else Travis had ever experienced. It hurt on a level that was worse than pain. But the pain was numb compared to the overwhelming rage and anger and grief he was feeling. It was like a background noise that added to his overall feeling of it being too much all at once. The mental lashing out his mind involuntarily did. The instinct to protect himself from the pain and separate himself. Much like a Sentinel going feral.

It was rare for a Guide to go feral.

All his feelings were over the place. The shields that he hadn’t had since bonding to his Sentinel were now coming on slowly and alien to him. It was like well worn shoes but it was just so hard to make his old shields when Wes’ had been so perfect.

What no one had known.

They had bonded after David had introduced them down at the shooting range. The fact that they had shaken hands was more than anyone could have realized. Travis’ shields had broken that second and he could feel Wes’ failing as well. It was just as well because without them, they would have never bonded to begin with.

Now, after the bond had been broken, Travis wished it never had happened at all.

But that might just still be in the wake of Peak’s murder.

Pulling a gun on you could do that. Fractioning the shield around them. And damn, they were right there in the middle of the office, people around them when their bond broke.

It was the one thing that they couldn’t ever repair. The trust that was broken. The betrayal Travis felt that Wesley would stop him from going out there and killing the murderer of a member of his pack. Damn it, Wesley was the Sentinel, he should be feeling the loss just as much and going out of his way to bring them down for what they had done.

Why, just why Wesley didn’t see this was beyond Travis.

The pieces of their broken bond were lying on the floor around them, like glass that had splintered and was further breaking down while they were walking right over it, turning it nearly into dust.

Travis would later wonder why it was that they could literally see the fragments of their bond on the floor but not now. Now he was still too enraged with Crowl’s team.

Pulling a gun on your partner was an absolute no-go and Travis could feel the shocked response of the people around him, the uniformed that came running in to cuff Wesley for violating that one law that was beyond any other.

What Travis didn’t realize until much later? – That Wesley was protecting his Guide.

** 

Being released from holding wasn’t easy and Wesley sighed, looking down at his cuffs under his jacket. He was chafing raw already and shook his head. This was not going well. He could feel the bond shattering between them and knew that rebuilding it was near impossible. Every Guide and Sentinel Bond that had been broken in history had been due to a break of trust, betrayal or a combination of those with physical abuse and rape.

While bonded pairs were supposed to be everything to each other, they were also still separate beings and capable of saying no. Rape and other crimes were relatively low in the community but on those occasions where the bonding was just an arranged or mismatched bond, it happened. 

Wesley had always believed that Travis and he had a genuine, true, perfect matching bond.

Apparently he had been wrong.

“Detective Mitchell?” the Captain asked him carefully and Wesley quickly hid his rubbed raw skin and turned to focus on his boss: “Yes?”

“Are you cool-headed again or do I really need to sick therapy on your heels for a psych eval?”

“You’re probably doing that anyways,” Wesley replied: “It is standard procedure and the law.”

Sutton nodded and sighed: “I will, but I can release you under the condition that you hand in your gun and write a report of what happened.”

Wesley didn’t have to think about it much and agreed. He was cooled down now. He knew that his Guide, no, his former Guide had been upset that Wesley had heeded the law above revenge for one of their pack. David had been a Guide after all and Travis’ feelings were clear on the punishment of those but Wesley couldn’t agree.

What his former Guide didn’t know was that Wesley would have killed them all himself. He would have gone up to them and done it but they had a restraining order on them and as a result weren’t allowed near them. Killing them now, even if telling everyone they were a Sentinel and a Guide would be simply a bad idea. The laws were on Crowl’s side for now and protecting his Guide from prison and form himself had been more important.

Add that Wesley was wounded and hurt that Travis didn’t trust him enough much less trusted him to do the right thing was something that was a betrayal to Wesley. Deep down, their foundation of their relationship was broken. Beyond repair.

“Can you tell me where all the glass in the office is coming from?” Sutton asked suddenly and it was like a slap in the Sentinel’s face. Never had he heard of a bond being solid.

**

The local Sentinel and Guide Center wasn’t informed, as a direct result of Travis and Wesley never having reported their bond to the LAPD. They did inform the respective parts of the SGC but other than that they weren’t required to report this.

A shattered bond and a distressed, feral Guide was enough to draw the attention of the local Alpha. The secret Alpha, the Alpha that no-one knew about. There were quite a few Alpha-leveled Guides and Sentinels around but the Alpha Prime for their region was only a whisper in the community. Something was not right about the private investigator and his Guide partner the billionaire.

Travis didn’t care one way or another. The Alpha’s Beta (or the official Alpha) was there right away and flashed his FBI badge, demanding to speak with Travis in a completely unrelated manner to get the distressed, feral Guide out of the building without anyone catching on that the man was a Guide.

Sutton was there immediately and shook his head: “You can’t simply take one of my Detectives, especially after an internal matter.”

“Trust me, Captain Sutton, I’m authorized by the FBI’s Director himself to see to the matter,” the Sentinel said and looked at the man. A second later, a huge, Latino looking man came in, a white t-shirt and dark yeans and focused on the Sentinel in front of Travis: “O’Conner! What’s taking you so long?”

“Just a second, Dom, just the usual bureaucracy in these matters,” the blond man replied and focused back in Sutton who had eyed the other man critically. O’Conner rolled his eyes: “Even we do have the occasional casual Friday.”

Travis snorted in amusement though he could feel the big man already shielding him from the turmoil of his shattered shields. He looked at Dom and thanked him mentally. The Guide barely acknowledged a nod but turned and left the building again. Travis marched off after the other man without actually meaning to.

Sutton was trying to call him back but Travis ignored it while O’Conner was actively blocking the man and keeping him from reaching Travis again. The still feral Guide was in no shape to block the agitated Captain in any way.

Heading outside and climbing into a nice Charger, Travis whistled a bit and looked at the big man: “Thanks, D.”

The man grinned and waited for O’Conner to climb into the car: “We are afraid that Alpha Prime Sandburg got wind of your shattered bond and is on the way here.” The blond man said and shared a look with the Guide: “I’m terribly sorry.”

Travis was still too feral to actually know and realize what had happened. He knew it would settle in later as well.

“What will happen to my- to Detective Mitchell?” Travis asked. It wasn’t high on his priority list right now due to their break but he was a good Sentinel and had been up until then a very good friend and life partner.

“I’ve seen that he is released on the counts alone that you were acting out in a way,” O’Conner replied: “Do not worry, we have settled everything so that it won’t be a black mark in either of your files. Some things are just not manageable and the influence of the FBI has helped a lot. He is released as we speak.”

Travis nodded and even though he was jittering and had a nervous twitch in his leg, it was all working out soon: “And Guide Sandburg?”

“Has a few questions for you. It is not every day that a bond breaks due to a betrayal issue and a feral Guide is something unusual just the same. You will feel the feral state for quite a while and we are puzzled as to why you didn’t drag your Sentinel with you into that state. Usually the feral Guide is a sign for the Sentinel to act out in response and fight to protect his Guide.” Brian explained and looked back to Travis in the backseat.

“Okay, that I get. But I guess the break in the bond must have occurred earlier then?” Travis asked: “Why didn’t I notice that?”

Dominic was replying then: “You were focused on avenging your friend. Nothing hurts a Guide more than losing one of their pack. And you lost that someone.”

**

The arrival at the Sentinel and Guide Center was rather quietly done. O’Conner simply handed the caretaking over to someone else, given that he was mostly used for his jurisdiction of the FBI alone and as such was legally allowed to use the FBI to get any and all Sentinel and Guides in distress out of Police Custody and into the official reigns of the SGC. Of course, only to those that didn’t actually commit a crime. For the others were special police guides around that dealt with those going behind bars.

Travis’ nodded his thanks at the Alpha Pair and followed the instructed route to where he was isolated in a quiet room. 

Then in came a Sentinel that felt strange to Travis. He didn’t quite know much about the man but knew that was the Alpha Prime’s Guide. The mental shields alone felt quite old and Travis frowned but given the hear-say that was surrounding the Alpha Prime Pair of the Southern West Coast, it wasn’t anything special: “Hello there.”

Travis eyed the man and the man sighed: “Right then, I’m Josef and here to help you get you out of your feral state. While you may seem calm right now, your shields are all over the place and rather projecting.”

“I feel fine,” Travis replied with a frown.

“Yes, but then again we Guides aren’t meant to go feral. It is like a drug poisoning the mind and ability to actually think clearly. Do not worry, you will be healed of those thinking patterns much like going to a therapy session to get rid of obsessive-compulsive disorder. It will not take much time either.”

“But what exactly is wrong?” Travis asked with a frown.

Josef nodded and sat down opposite Travis: “Do you feel the breaking of your bond?”

Travis frowned for a second and shook his head: “I should, shouldn’t I?”

“Yes, and I guess all you feel at the moment is rage and disappointment that you couldn’t avenge your friends’ death.”

Travis nodded and focused on his shields to see if the Alpha Guide was reading him like an open book.

“Ah yes, your shields are not all that tight at the moment either. You may feel they are but a Guide isn’t meant to suffer a feral state alone. It is actually the response to a Sentinel going feral and accompany said Sentinel in their battle drive. Maybe your former Sentinel even started the going feral process and then corrected his thinking logically. It is hard for a Sentinel but not impossible to let the logic part rule.”

“So it is all my fault?” Travis asked quietly.

“No, it is not. It is intuitive and your Sentinel could pull himself out while you went along. The breaking of your bond was merely a result of very different views and believes. Probably since the death of the Guide. I will gently prod your mind away from the feral state that you should usually get from your Sentinel when the danger is over.” Josef explained: “Open your shields as much as you can please. I won’t intrude on your private thoughts.”

Travis’ complied. It was integrated that they always followed the lead of Alphas and Travis did trust the other man. The wisdom and calm he was spreading was soothing him already.

After a slight push and pull in Travis’ shields, Travis realized exactly what had happened. The mental weight of losing his Sentinel, the grief was coming on strong now. Josef, again, soothed the feeling and buffered him until the realization has settled in fully.

“I know you feel worse now but this is actually the way a normal Guide should feel,” Josef explained: “You’re off your feral state. I can also detect that the bond you had with your Sentinel was a healthy one.”

“That doesn’t mean much. It did break after all and we can’t repair the damage ever again,” Travis sighed.

“You might. With hard work and time.” Josef stood again: “You are free to go but are relieved off duty for another three days. You are also required to personally check in here every day to see whether the feral state comes back in any way.”

“Thank you,” Travis said though he didn’t feel like being thankful for the full onslaught of emotions he was getting. It was actually worse now than the feral state he had been in.

**

“Detective Mitchell?” someone asked him and Wesley looked up and around the office. He didn’t see anyone. Travis was gone now and Sutton as well as the other detectives were keeping an uncertain eye on him. He of course had to have his shield and gun handed in but he was settling some paperwork before leaving for his suspension.

Walking out of the building, Wesley took a deep breath and shored up his unsteady shields. Thank god for a primary shield.

“Sentinel Wesley Mitchell?” someone repeated and now Wesley focused on the Alpha Prime Pair of America. Damn, they were definitely here for him.

“Alphas,” Wesley greeted them.

“I’m Blair, this is Jim,” Sandburg introduced them quickly. His badge shining in the sun as well as Jim’s: “We are terribly sorry for your broken bond.”

Wesley buried his hands in his pocket, nodding but looking down.

“We are here to investigate the whole matter of you pulling a gun on your Guide,” Jim explained and Wesley actually flinched. Yeah, this was bad.

“Don’t worry, everything will be okay,” Blair reassured: “We saw the shattered bond inside and are very surprised about it. It is rather unusual to see a solid broken bond.”

“And we already got the data for why you pulled the gun,” Jim explained: “We believe that it is merely a means to protect the Guide without letting him run off and you probably didn’t know any other means to keep him safe. We realize that Travis went feral and you couldn’t follow into that feral state. As a response, you tried to stop him from leaving like this. It also caused the break of your bond.”

“So it’s my fault?”

“No, you were about to go feral once realizing your friend had been killed and by whom. You were rational and calm enough but the beginning stage of you going feral caused Travis to respond. Since you made a turn around but couldn’t calm Travis, your bond broke in the wake of lost trust.” Blair explained: “It was circumstances and fate that let it be broken.”

“So basically we’re screwed any ways. We had a healthy bond.” Wesley sighed: “I’m probably damaged beyond repair.”

“Nonsense,” Jim replied: “You wouldn’t feel guilty if it were irreparable.”

Blair nodded: “We believe you might be able to repair it with time and working together. It is not effortlessly and might cause you to feel hurt but the solid pieces can be mended.”

Wesley stared at them in disbelieve. Mending the bond with Travis? No way in hell would they ever see eye to eye again!

**

“You are going to that therapy and that’s the end of discussion,” Sutton said: “I already told Dr Ryan that you would be attending today.”

“But it’s a therapy group for married couples. We’re not married.” Wesley argued back.

“Ah but a partnership on the force is essentially like being married. You are a great team and you are still working rather well together so I am not giving up on you two until Dr Ryan says it is hopeless.” Sutton replied.

Wesley sighed while Travis threw up his hands in the air and made a big show of disliking the whole issue. Going to therapy then.

**

It took Dr Ryan a few weeks to figure them out completely. They were careful not to show anything and while Travis was more eager to try and fill out her forms as well as participating in the group homework and exercises, Wesley found it hard not to ground his senses on Travis whenever the other man was close by.

The smell was still the same and Wesley could tell that Travis was actually sleeping around but he got it. He himself had been going back to Alex for stabilizing his senses because she was familiar as was Travis but smelling the other man was one thing, listening to his former Guide’s hear beat another. Licking him? No way. Seeking him for comfort and touching him? Out of the question. Therefore, Alex was good. She was kind enough to help him as well.

One particular session, Dr Ryan asked them to stay back. One of the random times they weren’t called away to a crime scene that is: “I know you have a history but can you tell me what it is?”

Both men reacted like she expected them to. They were getting defensive and growing distant so she spoke what was on her mind: “Have you been sleeping with each other?”

Travis’ head went up so fast that she knew she had hit the mark while Wesley tried to quietly remove himself from that question.

“I take that as a yes,” she sighed: “Why did you stop?”

“Travis, no!” Wesley said sincerely.

“What, she can’t tell!” Travis replied: “And I don’t know about you but you were a perfect match!”

“You are the reported Sentinel and Guide Pair whose bond broke?” she asked surprised.

“How the hell did you get access to those files!?” Wesley asked irritated as hell: “Yes, we are and no, no one knows which should stay that way!”

She looked at them in clear surprise and nodded: “I will see that my approach is also helpful for repairing your bond. I trust that you wouldn’t remain partnered up if it were completely lost on both parts.”

“We weren’t allowed to separate on the job,” Travis replied: “But I want to rebuild whatever I can, Wesley.”

Wesley nodded and accepted that. He trusted Travis to have his back on the job. Still, after everything that happened he did just that: “Me too, Travis.”

**

The tentative truce they had in regards to their goal was one thing. Another thing was Travis flirting with everyone and dragging his past relationships over their separated time in front of Wesley. It hurt and Travis knew he did it. It had been impulsive and was over, as long as they were trying to get back together for good. He knew that Wesley was likely to still use him to ground his senses on, even if they currently were unable to form their bond anew. Thus it was also too soon to bond.

They worked together but the fights they had been able to keep from work and had mentally found a compromise on – that was over along with their bond and regaining a footing and trust was a complete different matter.

So, working as a team had helped them before and while they showed to be a united front in front of their captain, they tried to not fight all the time. Well, not fighting per say more like arguing all the time.

Being with their therapy group was only helping them so much. They were getting along better, yes, they were working on smoothing things over but they always came back to the one point they couldn’t agree on. It was as if they were hexed.

**

The first few hours after they were talking to Dr Ryan about that and were working the case of the judge’s kid, they were on the way back when they stopped for a fueling job and as a result were in the middle of a robbery in process. 

Wesley was nearly feral. That was his Guide in there being shot at! His Guide.

No matter that their bond had broken, he still counted him as his Guide. And his partner. No matter their differences, they would respect the partnership David had started.

It was also the first principle of the job. Always protect your partner. Given that Travis was his Guide, it was a given that he would do anything to get Travis out of there alive. Thankfully he could very much tell that Travis’ heartbeat was still strong, if not quicker due to the adrenaline.

They were getting into trouble for it. That was clear. Driving a car through a shop was never a good idea but they would have been less reprimanded for it if they were a known Sentinel and Guide. Add that the guy behind the counter was a Guide as well and they would have been in the clear. But alas, they didn’t tell anyone so far. Playing by the normal rules had been Wesley’s standard that he dictated into their working partnership. While Travis wasn’t always so stuck on the lines they were operating on, he was still staying in the clear of the law.

Nonetheless, Travis had been just as careful in never telling anyone about his Guide abilities but a trusted few of his family. Well, extended family, those that he seemed worthy like one or another foster mother that was caring about him. 

Just Wesley’s luck that he had come online after putting an innocent man behind bars. It was always on his mind and the factor that had actually triggered him online. Going to be a cop after that had just been natural and Alex’ was one of the few that had helped him work through coming online. 

She had stayed with him until it was clear that Wesley would eventually find his Guide and leave her for said Guide. Alex wasn’t bitter or condemned his change in career but his genetics that emerged. They had broken up civilly and stayed friends even if Wesley was still over-protective of her.

So, yes, protecting Travis at all costs was what was necessary. 

They were fighting soon after yet again. This time, Wesley was accusing Travis having spoken to the press along with the higher ups. Of course he should know Travis better by now but it was just so easy to mask the hurt of their broken bond behind anger and accusations.

When Travis used the innocent behind bars-card? All bets were off and them tumbling through the window was more or less a repeat-performance of their bond yet again breaking.

The glass littering the floor was looking like the splinters of their broken bond. How ironic that it would be happening again.

Taking a drink at the hotel bar, Wesley heard all too clear that Bradley was talking to the press. Damn it! “I’m a jerk!” he cursed quietly only to suddenly pick up Dr Ryan’s perfume, followed by her voice: “I wouldn’t say that.”

“Dr Ryan,” he greeted her but he wasn’t in the mood: “Make house calls?”

“Captain Sutton called, said Travis and you broke up.” She looked at him: “Do you wanna talk about it?”

“You can go around and tell Captain Sutton that you tried, but that’s it. That’s it, we’re done,” Wesley shook his head, turning away from her, not wanting to admit that trying to patch up their bond had failed.

Wesley barely listened to Dr Ryan but he got the gist of it. They were alike, they needed to stay together for a while longer because a broken bond wasn’t repairing from itself.

Wesley sighed. He listened carefully but his mind was working the case. Somehow Dr Ryan’s comparison that they were so alike, their minds working together was true for a bonded pair. Now though? They had their above average intelligence as Dr Ryan said and that was about it. Nothing else.

They were nothing but partners now. But then again, hadn’t they always been partners?

His mind had solved the problem in the meantime and Travis barely looked at Dr Ryan before running away and heading out to see Travis. If he hurried, he would arrive at Travis’ place before his drink had hit his bloodstream and he was unable to drive.

Driving at a high speed with lights flashing, Wesley quickly made his way to Travis’ trailer and listened. Thankfully his Guide, damn it, the Guide, his partner, was simply relaxing. Watching TV now and Wesley quickly went inside. No doubt Travis knew who was coming.

Dr Ryan’s: “Maybe you should apologize!” was still ringing in his ears.

Okay, facts first. Finding Travis’ door locked was rather stupid and a clear indicator that Travis wanted to be alone. Knocking didn’t help besides Travis’ annoyed reply: “We broke up, remember!?”

“I’m sorry!” Wesley admitted: “I know you didn’t talk to the reporter and I need your help.”

Travis opened the door, looking at him: “Do you mean it?”

And wasn’t that two-folded question. It was loaded. Wesley could feel it on the borders of his limited empathic ability: “Yes,” he looked the Guide straight in the eye: “I mean it.”

A surge went through their shields and both were looking at each other in surprise. That had been their first outer shell of a bond being repaired.

Travis’ stumbled under the onslaught of Wesley’s emotions and sat down on the door to the trailer while Wesley caught himself quickly, his mind still on the case as well and sprinting inside to open up the drawers and doors to get Travis’ dressed quickly.

It was a miracle that their bond was back.

**

Another breakthrough came when Dr Ryan asked for accompanying them. She was to evaluate their whole working relationship and wanted to help them along. In order to hide their obvious problems, they were playing along.

The fancy new car Wesley had was something Travis enjoyed immensely and was all too happy to drive along with him. That Wesley was still living in a sentinel-friendly hotel was another matter altogether. Travis frowned about that but had no real reason to argue and it seemed as if Wesley’s senses were stable. That and their newly tentative bond, they were as healthy as they could be. Taking it slow was their agreement.

When Wesley dropped him off at his trailer – and what the hell was it saying about them that they had been living together in an apartment and now in a hotel and Travis’ left-over trailer that he had never gotten rid of?

The next day, Wesley was picking him up again, driving down to the beach where their therapy group center was. It was early in the evening for once so they had taken off earlier from work. They were always eyed critically by their coworkers but it was cleared with Sutton so no one dared to actually say something about the issue.

Striding into the room, they were sitting down and chatting. As a group. Dr Ryan was already in as well but talking quietly to Dakota when Travis suddenly touched Wesley: “Hey, focus. Don’t you dare doing this right now and leaving me alone.”

Wesley focused back on Travis: “Sorry.”

“What was it?” Travis asked but Wesley shook his head in a manner that they used when they were with witnesses and indicated a “later”.

“You’re a Sentinel!” Rozelle said in surprise and the whole group fell silent.

Wesley sighed and adjusted his suit jacket nervously: “I am.”

“Are you okay?” Dakota asked carefully: “Not spiking I hope? Oh god! I’m wearing perfume!”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry. It doesn’t bother me with you,” Wesley said and tilted his head in a listening manner.

“Seriously, what is it?” Travis asked annoyed now.

Wesley shrugged: “Someone’s at my car.”

Travis rolled his eyes: “That kid doesn’t want to steal it. He admires it and wants it as well.”

Dr Ryan cleared her throat gently. It was then that Travis realized he had admitted to knowing what that kid was up to. A gift Guides had.

“You’re his Guide?” Peter asked in surprise: “But-“

“No,” Dr Ryan interrupted: “We are not discussing their bond. It is a violation of the law to discuss a Sentinel and Guide matter. Everyone on the police force is unaware of their bond and we won’t discuss it. If they are willing to share, that is fine.”

Wesley nodded his thanks: “Yes, we were bonded. Our bond broke. We’re here to repair it.”

Travis winced a bit and sighed looking at Wesley for a small nod of the Sentinel and then looked at Dr Ryan: “We archived the first shield again.”

“That is amazing! I am available if you want to talk to me privately. For now, I asked you all to make a list of your partner’s favorite things.” She changed the subject and Wesley, after a few moments, nodded at Travis that his senses were stable enough that he didn’t have to control him every few seconds.

They settled down a bit.

**

When Wesley shot Travis’ brother, it was another hard trust issue between them. Travis understood that Wesley protected him –yet again – from the emotional downfall a Guide could feel from shooting what counted as your brother.

The whole team was staring at them, raising their eyebrows at Wesley’s paperwork and interrogation after firing his gun.

It helped that the person investigating that shooting was a Sentinel himself. The man was a young man, a Detective, former with the Candy Store. He had long hair, down to his chin and was cleaning up nicely in expensive designer clothes that he still had with him from his undercover workings.

“Detective Wesley Mitchell?”

“That’s me,” he replied and looked towards the door of the room, feeling Travis close by and with a sadness of the loss of his brother. He wished he could be out there right now, helping him.

“I see your status is not mentioned anywhere?” the man whispered too low for the microphones to pick up. Wesley nodded in response while the man continued: “I’m Detective Van Ray. The shooting in question is the foster brother of your partner. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you shoot first?”

“So my partner didn’t have to kill what is essentially his brother,” Wesley replied: “And he was about to shoot Detective Marks.”

“Was there any possible chance that your partner could have talked him down?” Van asked neutrally and marked some things in the file. Wesley shook his head in response while Van sighed: “You know that if you were to tell everyone about your status, that this would be much easier in the face of the law?”

“I don’t want the special treatment. I know the laws and I want the same treatment as any other detective. It needs to be thoroughly investigated.” Wesley replied: “And no, I don’t want it known what I am or I’ll be assigned as sniff dog for every new crime scene.”

Van smiled knowingly: “Oh I get that. My Guide and I were sent to any and all homicides at first but we’re the best at undercover work.”

“Yes, the reputation of the Candy is legendary.”

“As is you rebuilding your bond with your Guide after it shattered into pieces that even mundane could see it,” Van replied with a smile but no maliciousness in his voice.

“Seeing as I think your shooting is clear and justified, there won’t be any further reports,” Van closed the folder: “If you ever get into trouble for anything, I will not hesitate to reveal your status to get you cleared.”

“Understood.” Wesley agreed: “If it is too tight, the laws will protect us but I don’t want to use them unless I have no other choice.”

“That is understandable and admirable,” Van replied and stood: “See you around.”

“You, too.”

**

The days and weeks following were stabilizing their bond again. Ups and downs. Until… they had performance issues.

Wes still didn’t think about this too often that their lack of communication was the key here as to why they had let them slip away. Whatever had gone wrong, they hadn’t been on the same page.

Their bond had been closed up over small matters lately and yes, Dr Ryan’s approach at talking about this not only when it was necessary was a valid point.

Performance issues. 

Right, Wesley knew he needed to talk about their relationship. And soon.

Living in the hotel was getting on his senses. The noises, the smell… it wasn’t Travis and their small house they had had. Wesley wanted it back. He wanted Travis back.

It was a startling realization to feel the need to touch the other man again. To smell him, take him in and simply be around him.

They needed to communicate again.

**

Travis was still trying to think of what had happened later that night. The whole blaming each other issue was a sore point between them and then admitting that they both had made the wrong move was a huge step into the right direction.

God, Travis missed his partner. His life-partner. The one he was supposed to be married to, according to the law. The one that was everything to him. The only one that actually got him as much as didn’t get him.

It was getting ridiculous between them and Travis knew it. They were dancing around each other, the whole sex-talk of Peter and Dakota wasn’t helping much though it did help to bring the case along.

The sex part.

That was the one point Dr Ryan had so far avoided talking about in all their time. One reason was because it wasn’t her business and she couldn’t rightfully ask, on the other hand it probably was because she thought they weren’t ready yet.

But maybe it was the sex that needed to come next. The sex that needed to connect them back on the basic, primal level they had been on before.

He felt more than heard Wesley approach. The mind of the other man was simply attuned to his and acted like a magnet. The instant they were closer around each other, their minds just connected though of course, given great distress, Wesley would always feel when and where Travis was and the other way around.

“Wes,” Travis greeted the other man and invited him into the trailer. Sadly, the only space where one could actually sit was the bed. Wesley apparently didn’t mind because he settled down on the edge, turning to face him. Travis waited. It was better to wait for Wes to start talking anyways.

“I’ve been thinking,” the blond started and paused, then took a deep breath and continued: “I miss you, Travis. And I need you.”

“You are still my Sentinel,” Travis replied: “I thought about it and maybe we just need to-“

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Travis replied. More than that, he couldn’t voice because an instant later, Wesley was on his lips and in his lap, pushing him backwards and Travis could barely open up his mental shields to let him in.

**

Their bond was back, bright and pulsing again. It was as if the sun came out after a rainy season. The bond was still fragile, no doubt about that but it was vibrant, full of color and alive.

It felt good.

Oh that didn’t mean they were back on track yet. No. They might never be.

Not as long as Crowl’s Team was running around.

But, Wes apparently was very cheerful and obvious about the whole thing because after Dakota announced her possible pregnancy, he was cheerful and talkative. And fuck his life, the whole group realized what it was. Travis was trying to keep their shields tight enough that they weren’t projecting but it was hard.

Dr Ryan was looking at him quizzically but Travis was biting his fingernails, trying hard not to give anything away. It was the first day after they had had sex again. The first day of their bond being back and stable. They didn’t need the attention. Not yet.

Of course Wesley spilled the beans. He was too happy and cheerful and they didn’t have anyone else to talk to outside of this group that knew they were bonded.

“You’re having sex again?” Dr Ryan asked out of the blue after the whole group had agreed that Wes was obvious.

Travis sighed and shifted on the chair, punching Wesley in the arm: “Your fault, man.”

“What?”

“I’m keeping the shields up here. It’s all you.”

“I am happy that we bonded again, Travis. We kinda need a bond to survive?” Wes asked: “And they’re the only ones in our life that actually know what is going on.”

“Wait, you still haven’t told anyone at work?” Ms Dumont asked in surprise.

Wes shook his head: “Its not that easy.”

Travis took over: “We agreed early on that we want this to be by the law. The normal people law. We don’t want special treatment unless absolutely necessary. If everything we do gets passed by as Sentinel and Guide stuff, it could end up abusive on the law front. We know the law isn’t perfect, neither are people but we agreed that we want it to play by mundane rules. We’re not so ignorant as to believe that there won’t come a day when Wesley will run feral and drag me on in response. We know about that. It’s the regular rules. If no lawyer finds a loophole on the cases, the better.”

“That is rather admirable,” Dr Ryan agreed: “Is it about the man Wesley?”

“Yes,” Wes admitted: “The one I put behind bars while he was innocent. A corrupt Sentinel and Guide Pair on the force had been behind it. When Travis and I met and partnered up, he understood this is the one law we cannot ever break.”

Travis flinched a little and Wesley looked at Travis but continued: “We promised to do anything to keep the law.”

So that was the point. The one factor that had been missing for Travis. The reason why Wes hadn’t run feral after pushing him into the direction. The one law he couldn’t break.

Travis understood it better now. But damn, they had a long way to go.

**Author's Note:**

> just thought about this and wrote it down quickly. I'm not sure if I'm gonna add anything so this is considered finished.  
> Cameos: Josef Kostan/(Mick) (Moonlight), Brian O'Conner/Dominic Toretto (Fast&Furious), Jim/Blair(TheSentinel)


End file.
